GEC Routing

[bphgravity]

Awhile back, I asked a question regarding the routing of the GEC in regard to sharing penetrations and holes for other cables and conductors.

Today, I went to a commercial building to inspect the service. The grounding electrode conductor for the building steel is connected in one of the units, is taken into the unit panelboard, and run through the panel feeder raceway back out to the service equipment. The GEC is completely continuous, sized properly, and meets all other code requirements.

Any issues?

 

[pierre]

Re: GEC Routing

Is it secured to all of the metallic enclosures (if any) as per 250.64(E) & 250.92(A)(3)?

If yes, I do not see where this is prohibited.

 

[charlie b]

Re: GEC Routing

Originally posted by bphgravity: The grounding electrode conductor for the building steel is connected in one of the units, is taken into the unit panelboard, and run through the panel feeder raceway back out to the service equipment.

What do you mean when you say "units"? Is this like a shopping mall and one of the "units" is a single store with its own panelboard? If so, then I do not care for the design. I don?t know of any code article that it would violate, but I just don't think it is a good way to run the GEC. My problem is that a new tenant can take over the space, and remodel it completely, including moving the panel. It might not be evident to the future EC that there is a conductor in the existing panel that provides a required function for the building as a whole. What is to stop the future EC from just disconnecting it?

I know we cannot, or at least should not, made decisions solely on the basis of what a future EC might do, or what a future EC might not recognize. But I just don't think I would design it that way. I would find a way to get from building steel to the service equipment without passing through a single tenant's panelboard.